Military Stories

Read true stories about America's military heroes at home and abroad.

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Be Inspired

There are roughly 2.6 million men and women serving in America’s military. We bring you some of the most inspiring and heartwarming stories—and hilarious jokes!—from these brave soldiers defending the nation.

Resources and Real-Life Stories

  1. Military Family Resources
  2. The Newest Recruits: Stay-at-Home Dads
  3. A Mother's Courage
  4. Father and son serve together
  5. Schoolteacher on the front lines

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The Longest War: Photos from Afghanistan
New The Longest War: Photos from Afghanistan

In March, the war in Afghanistan will become the lengthiest military conflict in U.S. history. As our country’s involvement escalated, we asked 11 photojournalists to select the one image that sums up their experience covering the war. Here, the pictures they chose, and why.

How the Government is Failing Our Veterans
How the Government is Failing Our Veterans

Lost paperwork, hostile bureaucrats, and endless delays. The system is failing our soldiers.

West Point’s First Female Admissions Director Opens Up
West Point’s First Female Admissions Director Opens Up

Colonel Deborah McDonald talks about what it's like to be a woman at the United States Military Academy.

The Military's Newest Recruits: Stay-at-Home Dads
The Military's Newest Recruits: Stay-at-Home Dads

Meet the military's fastest-growing new group of recruits—dads who stay home while Mom goes to war.

ResourcesFrom our Advertisers

  • The Latest in Military
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  • 1Resources for Military Families
    The number of mothers at war has increased, causing traditional parenting roles to flip-flop. Here's a list of resources to ease this transition.
  • 2A Mother's Courage
    When her son returned from Iraq with devastating injuries, Becky Ziegel discovered her own inner warrior.
  • 3Finding Gilbert Must Read
    While stationed in France during World War II, an American soldier took a seven-year-old orphan under his wing. Decades later, his daughter made it her mission to locate that boy.
  • 4Volunteers Help Repay a Disabled Veteran's Sacrifice
    After an enemy bullet left Staff Sergeant Matt Keil paralyzed, an army of volunteers found a way to repay his sacrifice.
  • 5How You Can Help Wounded Veterans
    Want to help heroes and their families get the housing they need? Check out these organizations.
  • 6Iraqi Militants Becoming Citizens
    Major General Doug Stone is trying to turn jailed Iraqi militants into citizens. Call him a do-gooder, but guess what? It's working.
  • 7Best of America: The Flag Ladies of Freeport, Maine
    These patriotic women make supporting our troops a weekly mission.
  • 8In Their Own Words
    To gauge how today's youth will shape our upcoming election, Reader's Digest commissioned a poll that posed a broad range of questions about the political and personal views of young adults between the ages of 19 and 29.
  • 9Giving Girls Wings
    Devastated by the loss of her son on 9/11, Sally Goodrich found new life helping the children of Afghanistan.

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